AGEIA PhysX Technology to be Incorporated in ChessBase Game Engine for FRITZ 9 and Future Titles
New titles will support AGEIA PhysX processor for unprecedented game physics
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - October 19, 2005 - AGEIATM Technologies, Inc., the pioneer in hardware-accelerated physics for games, today announced that ChessBase Gmbh has signed a publisher-wide licensing agreement to use the AGEIA PhysXTM SDK in FRITZ 9 and other upcoming titles. ChessBase also announced their support for the upcoming AGEIA PhysX processor.
FRITZ 9 has been called "the ultimate chess game," combining classic chess with 3D animation, surround sound and real-time physics using AGEIA PhysX technology. The game emulates the legendary Chess Turk, an automaton chess machine operated by a human chess master hidden in its cabinet. Built by a Baron for a Queen in the 1600s, the Chess Turk confounded such luminaries as Napoleon Bonaparte, Benjamin Franklin, and Edgar Allen Poe.
More recent challengers of FRITZ include World Champion Vladimir Kramnik and the legendary Garry Kasparov. The game has won awards and rave reviews from USA Today, Discovery.com, GameZone Magazine, and countless other US and European publications.
"FRITZ 9 is indeed the ultimate chess game, and AGEIA PhysX technology is the ultimate physics solution for our game engine," said Jeroen van den Belt, managing director at ChessBase. "AGEIA PhysX technology helps us continue to offer the magic of chess in new ways for new generations of players."
With its publisher-wide license for the AGEIA PhysX SDK, ChessBase can offer real-time immersive physics in all of its upcoming titles. Its support for the AGEIA PhysX processor ensures amazingly interactive physics action for game players who have the AGEIA PhysX processor installed in their PCs.
"With technologies such as the AGEIA PhysX SDK, ChessBase has continued to advance the game of chess into the 21st century, while remaining true to the historical traditions of the game," said Kathy Schoback, vice president of content acquisition at AGEIA. "We're excited to be a part of this 'new chess' revival, which has captured the imagination of chess players around the world."
About AGEIA
AGEIATM Technologies, Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company and the pioneer of hardware-accelerated physics for games. Its flagship product, the PhysX processor, is the world's first dedicated physics processing unit - a completely new hardware category. The PhysX processor and supporting software deliver the processing horsepower to calculate real-time interactive worlds. Developers can define these worlds to obey the laws of classical physics, or create their own physical laws that make their game a unique, hyper-dimensional experience.
AGEIA seeks to ignite innovation in the games industry by working with leading developers, publishers, add-in board vendors and console manufacturers to deliver the next generation of physically immersive entertainment. Consumer add-in boards and systems equipped with the AGEIA PhysX processor and games that take advantage of the technology will be available in late 2005. For more information visit http://www.ageia.com.
*AGEIA, PhysX and NovodeX are trademarks of AGEIA Technologies, Inc. All other products are trademarks of their respective companies.
AGEIA Media Contact:
Kim Stowe
Stowe Consulting, Inc.
(408) 839-8750
kim@kimstowe.com